Richard III by William Shakespeare Read Free Book Online Page B

followers pitch his tent in Bosworth Field. The mood is somber, but Richard is cheered by news that the “traitors” number only “six or seven thousand,” a third the size of his own army. They go to survey the battleground.
    Lines 20–47: Richmond and followers pitch his tent on the opposite side of the battlefield, a visual representation of their conflict. Richmond is optimistic, seeing the “golden” sunset as a good omen for the following day. The solar imagery returns us to the opening lines of the play and associated ideas of “summer” replacing a “winter of discontent.” Richmond draws up his battle plans and sends Blunt with a “needful note” to Derby.
    Lines 48–82: Richard also sends a message to Derby, instructing him to “bring his power / Before sun-rising” or his son will die. He then commands that his horse, “white Surrey,” is saddled for the next day, but complains that he lacks “cheer of mind.” He writes, then sleeps.
    Lines 83–121 : Derby secretly visits Richmond to assure him of his loyalty, but tells him that he “may not be too forward” because Richard has his son. He leaves, and Richmond prays before sleeping.
    Lines 122–224: As both men sleep, a series of Ghosts appears on stage, all victims of Richard. In turn, they approach Richard and curse him for his role in their deaths, repeating that he will “despair and die.” Each Ghost also addresses Richmond, blessing him and wishing him victory. When the last Ghost, that of Buckingham, has spoken, Richard awakes suddenly, crying out: “Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds!” His self-doubt is evident in marked contrast to his earlier confidence and his confusion is clear as he asserts “I am I,” then argues “I am not.”
    Lines 225–272: Richmond wakes from “the sweetest sleep.” He reports his “fairest-boding” dream and then addresses his soldiers. His patriotic speech reminds them that “God” and their “good cause” are on their side. He condemns Richard’s tyranny.
    Lines 273–354: Richard, observing that the sun “disdains to shine,” issues orders that Derby and his men are to be summoned. He addresses his troops, focusing on the weaknesses of the enemy and describing Richmond as “a paltry fellow.” A messenger informs Richard that Derby has defected, but he has no time to kill his son: the battle has begun.
    Lines 355–408: Catesby reports that Richard is fighting on foot, having lost his horse, and is determined to kill Richmond. Richard enters, calling for a horse, but will not withdraw when Catesby asks him to, focusing only on Richmond and sustaining his single-minded desire to retain power until the last. Richmond appears. They fight, and Richard is killed. Richmond declares that “the bloody dog is dead” and claims the throne. He announces his intention to marry Princess Elizabeth, ths uniting “divided York and Lancaster.” As Henry VII, he will restore peace to the long-fractured kingdom.

RICHARD III
IN
PERFORMANCE: THE RSC
AND BEYOND
    The best way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or ideally to participate in it. By examining a range of productions, we may gain a sense of the extraordinary variety of approaches and interpretations that are possible—a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made “our contemporary” four centuries after his death.
    We begin with a brief overview of the play’s theatrical and cinematic life, offering historical perspectives on how it has been performed. We then analyze in more detail a series of productions staged over the last half-century by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The sense of dialogue between productions that can only occur when a company is dedicated to the revival and investigation of the Shakespeare canon over a long period, together with the uniquely comprehensive archival resource of promptbooks, program notes, reviews, and interviews held on behalf of the RSC at the